Take-up device for knitting-machines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' L. JONES, Jr. TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

No. 538,834. Patented May '7, 1895.

, (@w o f (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.v

L. JONES, Jr. TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

No. 538,834. Patented May 7, 1895.

FIG. 2.

' lL MW F m: NORRIS warms cov PMUTO-LITHO, WASHWGTON, u c

UNITED STATES FFICE.

LEwIsJoNEs, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,834, dated May 7,1895.

Application filed August 4, 1893.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS JONES, Jr., of the city andcounty of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Take-Up Devices for Knitting-Machines, whereof the following is a specification, reference being bad to. the accompanying drawings. 7

My invention relates to that class of circular knitting machines wherein the needle cylinder revolves and the work descends therefrom to take-up rollers carried by a frame rotating with the needle cylinder, the object of my improvement being to provide a means for automatically actuating the take-up rollers in proper relation to the speed of production of the fabric, so that a'definite tension shall be maintained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a general View, in side elevation and on a scale much smaller than that of the other figures, of a knitting-machine embodying my improvements, the details of the knitting mechanism proper being, however, omitted, as they bear no essential relation to the subject-of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a partial verticalsection through the axis of one of the take-up rollers and through its actuating mechanism, showing the adjacent portion of the frame. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of one end of the take-up rollers, showing the actuating mechanism and the adjacent portion of the frame; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the general View, A indicates the knitting mechanism proper, consisting of a stationary cam cylinder and rotating needle cylinder, the latter of which is actuated in the usual manner by means of driving mechanism, A..

A represents the stand or table of the machine, inclosing the take-up frame, which consists of the downwardly depending arms, B, B, carried by the needle cylinder, and attached at their lower ends to a flanged ring, 13 which rests upon an inwardly projecting bearing edge, a, formed upon the inside of a horizontal circular track, a, arranged within the stand, A about midway of its height.

The take-upframe carries a pair of fluted take-up rollers, O, C, respectively, of the Serial No. 482,335. (No model.)

usual form, between which the web, W, passes in its descent from the knitting mechanism,

and also carries a subjacent work basket, B to finally receive the fabric.

The roller, 0, acts merely as an auxiliary or pressure device to hold the fabric against the main roller, C, and may therefore be rotated by frictional contact only with the fabric itself, or may be driven by a gear with elongated teeth adapted to maintain. engagement at. varying degrees of separation of the rollers, which gear may be carried by the main roller in the usual manner. The main roller, G, is positively driven, by means of the devices which form the subject of my invention and which will hereinafter be described in detail.

The lower ends of the arms, B, B, are enlarged, as indicated-at b, b, and elongated arched openings, N, are formed in said enlarged portions to admit the ends of the rollers, G, G, and permit the same to rise and fall freely through a limited distance. The journals, c, c, of said rollers respectively, pro trude beyond the arms, B, B, on either side, and have their bearings in vertically swinging bars, D and D, which are pivoted at d to rearward projections, b upon the enlarged lower ends of the arms, B and B.

The journals, 0, of the auxiliary roller, (1, are mounted in sliding journal boxes, 0 (see dotted lines of Fig. 4) which are movable toward and from the journals, 0, of the roller, 0, and are normally pressed toward the latter by springs, Z, mounted in sockets at the front ends of the bars,D and D, the tension of the springs being susceptible of regulation by means of screws, L. The free ends of the bars, D and D, are normally pressed downward by means of springs, K and K, respectively, which are mounted in sockets, 7c and 7c, upon the outside of the arms, B and B, the tension being regulated by screws, k

Upon the left hand side as seen in Fig. 1, the journal, 0, of the main roller, 0, is prolonged outwardly beyond the swinging bar, D, and carries a freely mounted gear wheel, H, a rigidly attached ratchet wheel, J, and a freely mounted friction disk, G, having a toothed hub-pinion, G. The-periphery of the friction disk, G, is faced with leather, as indicated at g, and is adapted to run upon the circular track, a, in frictional engagement with the surface thereof. The hub-pinion, G, meshes with a gear, F, which is freely mounted upon the pin, E, extending'outward from the face of an upward projection, d, on the bar, D, and said gear, F, has also a hub-pinion, F, meshing with the gear, H, which is freely mounted, as above stated, upon the journal, 0, of the roller, 0. Upon the outer face of the gear, II, is mounted a spring pawl, I, which engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, J.

The operation of the device is as follows: As the arms, B, B, and ring, B rotate in conformity with the needle cylinder, the disk, G, normally travels on the track, a, and is frictionally revolved by contact therewith. The rotation of the disk drives the train of gears, G, F, F, H, just referred to, actuating the pawl, I, and by means of it the ratchet, J, which is secured to the journal, 0, of the main roller 0. As said take-up roller is thus rotated, it tends to climb up the face of the fabric, W, producing a downward tension thereon, not only by the weight of the rollers, but by the downward pressure of the springs, k and 7t. To the extent that this upward movement of the rollers occurs, the frictional contact between the disk, G, and the track, a, is lessened, and the rotation of the disk and consequent action of the take up roller tends to cease. So soon, however, as the increment of the fabric, XV, has permitted the rollers to descend, frictional contact between the disk and the track is resumed and actuation of the rollers recommences, with the same effect as before.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. The combination with theknitting mechanism and the rotating frame beneath the same, of a pair of take-up rollers carried by said frame but freely mounted therein to permit vertical movement; a friction disk operatively connected with one of said rollers, substantially as set forth; and a track located with reference to the path of travel of said friction disk, substantially as set forth, where by engagement of the friction disk with said track and actuation of the take-up roller are effected in conformity with the descent of the fabric.

2. The combination with the knitting mechanism and the rotating frame beneath the same, of a pair of take-up rollers freely supported in vertical slots within said frame; pivoted bars mounted upon said frame and affording bearings for said rollers; afriction disk mounted upon one of said bars; intermediate gearing comprising a pawl and ratchet member, substantially as set forth, operatively connecting said friction disk with the shaft of one of said take-up rollers; and a track arranged with relation to the path of travel of said friction disk, substantially as set forth.

LEWIS JONES, JR.

Witnesses:

HENRY U. PAUL, J r., JAMES H. BELL. 

